As in preparation for Valentine's Day - the complete guide
So you have a date for Valentine's Day. Lucky You! Now what?
There is pressure truck to preach today, especially with someone new. The night should be romantic, unforgettable, unique, authentic - I could go on, but I'm starting to give me a panic attack.
Let's face it, Valentine's Day can be a minefield. Everything from cheese mixed bouquets for the reserve price disappointing meal.
Do not get me wrong - you have to work to honor the woman you love. But it is easy to fall into the trap of the expectations of society, and end up spending much time and money to have the idea of a romantic evening someone.
Fear not - that is not the situation this year. The best restaurant in the city on Valentine's Day will be in your apartment. It will be unforgettable, original, authentic, etc., no longer fighting for a parking space, fighting the cold, with the pace of the service, or bombing a fortune. I promise you.
Flip it!
Push it!
This is the plan
You can cook a meal. The food.
No cooking? Do not worry. Te Tengo.
Remember, cooking a meal of nowhere to someone you love, no matter what comes, is an authentic expression of the heart. It is a romantic gesture involved in every possible fuzzy bear. The true spirit of Valentine's Day.
Just follow recipes cheat sheet and well proven then and I promise I'll be a hero (at least overnight).
Step 1. Plan ahead
Even if you are smart and will avoid the crowds at restaurants and bars, unfortunately, are not the only one planning to eat on Thursday. Plan your strategy to shop, prepare and eat. Get some type will not help here - choose a specific time that you want the food on the table, and work backwards.
Step 2. Check your kitchen
Here's a desert island list needs to help you cook and serve meals. If you are not in possession of any of these, buy them.
In an emergency always: red wine, tequila and black chocolate.
Step 3. What are you eating?
We keep things very simple. Its main objective is to provide something tasty. If it sounds good, well, bravo.
Here is a list of menus specially designed for cooking incompetent (will taste delicious at all). There is a choice of meat, vegetarian pasta dish and a fish.
A note about dessert: Any other day of the year left my date to bring dessert. You are given a stake in the food and allows for creative expression. But Valentine's Day, and caring for dessert. If she insists, we'll bring the wine instead.
This is your dessert, a chocolate creation incredibly easy and decadent pastry Montreal presented by Joanna Notkin.
Step 4. Food is a story. Shopping is chapter one
First, buy non-perishable ingredients, at least one day before. You want to be able to test the system, and in some cases, can be prepared the night before. Obviously, be aware of the interesting things - if you can buy on the day of scallops, do.
I hate shopping? Recast as a key experience of V-Day item. Food stores can be annoying, but it can also be fun.
The products and the places they sell are all people that are on sale. Buy an item from an unusual place - an old world Italian market butcher, remote farmers or even a winery known for its terrifying cat eyes. Learn something about where it came fennel or answer your hand knead mozzarella grandmother.
I stuck with a large supermarket? That's fine. Take in the scene. There is a fight between soccer moms to the command line? Find your history, find their characters. You can use them to heat the conversation later, so far the first glass of wine was laughing.
Step 5. Clean the house, Staging
I do not keep an immaculate house. I'm not drooling squats or something, but my place is their level "needs cleaning" stage. So here is my secret: throw all your shit in a closet, clean surfaces in your bathroom and kitchen, and rub the area where you really want food consumption. And clear enough space for your cards, some candles and flowers cursed ship.
Step 6. Game Day: Put this fact
Here's a quick summary of preparing, cooking and presentation.
1) Two hours before: Set the table, including flowers. Select the music, nothing to hide embarrassing. Clean bathroom Party lost the first pass.
2) 90 minutes before: Clean and cut the vegetables and marinate meats. Put everything in separate bowls or plates. Store in refrigerator.
3) 60 minutes before: All dishes that require time to cook should be in the oven or on the stove to boil. Open wine. Organise your cheese and fruit plate (oh, did I mention it's a good idea to have a plate of cheese and fruit? Well, you should) in a way that looks like it did before.
4) 30 minutes before: Saute the onion, garlic and other vegetables. The secret weapon when it happens is disarmament and the seductive scent of something delicious.
5) 15 minutes before: take a beer or glass of wine. Relax. Reduce the heat to the open burners. Change your shirt.
6) Rings Buzzer! She's here and it's all smiles and Cuervo red red lips. She is beautiful! Let stand and then open the sparkling wine. The hatch!
7) close cooking: The goal is to do the heavy lifting done before his arrival, but save some dynamic kitchen when she is there (and can meet their heroism). Also, you can go if you want to help, waving a sauce or salad dressing. If she wants to get more involved, let her. Enjoy the scene you did. Talk about all the crazy you met / control throughout your trip meal.
8) Power Ready: It's fun to have a steak from the grill, then place in a bowl. Fishing too. But most of the food should be warm and rest before consumption. Eat your soup and salad. Then serve and present. Start enjoying this - the hardest part is over.
9) Eat, Drink, Be Merry: You can imagine the rest here. Do not rush to dessert, without wine, will show his collection of stamps, see where it goes. Certainly not rush into anything clean. Although proposes to delete the table, nothing says "I hate romance" like washing dishes.
10) The next time your home. It will host the next time, because tonight when you were a romantic hero in good faith.
